Ski binding of the toe binding type

ABSTRACT

In ski bindings of the toe binding type having a clamping bail pivoted in the toe iron lugs for resiliently pressing the rim of the sole down it is proposed to mount a spring-loaded connecting link pivotaly on the bight portion of the bail and connect it releasably and adjustably to a forwardly facing toothing on fixed means on the ski in front of the boot, the link being shaped with an engaging hook. By exerting pressure on the link in front of its pivotal axis the bail is depressed and the link engaged, and by exerting pressure behind the said axis the link is released.

United States Patent 1191 With . July 16, 1974 l l SKI BINDING OF THE TOE BINDING TYPE [76] Inventor: Bror With, Jarlsborgveien 1, Oslo 3,

- Norway [22] Filed: July 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 273,131

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 27, 1971 Norway [52] US. Cl 280/1135 B, 24/248 SB [51] Int. Cl. A63C 9/00 [58] Field of Search 280/1135 B; 24/252, 246, 24/248 D, 248 SB, 241 PP, 241 TC [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,481,6[8 l2/l969 With 280/1135 B 3,7l5,l27 2/1973 With 280/1135 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 77,880 4/1945 Norway... 280/1135 B 826,181 12/1937 France 24/252 PC 45,030 4/1928 Norway 280/1135 B 108,061 7/1943 Sweden 280/1135 B Primary -Examinerl(enneth H. Betts Assistant ExaminerDavid M. Mitchell Attorney, Agent, or Firm--J0hns0n, Dienner, Emrich, Verbeck & Wagner 1 57 ABSTRACT In ski bindings of the toe binding type having a clamping bail pivoted in the toe iron lugs for resiliently pressing the rim ofthe sole down it is proposed to mount a spring-loaded connecting'link pivotaly on the bight portion of the bail and connect it releasably and adjustably to a forwardly facing toothing on fixed means on the ski in front of the boot, the link being shaped with an engaging hook. By exerting pressure on the link in front of its pivotal axis the bail is depressed and the link engaged, and by exerting pressure behind the said axis the link is released.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JUL 1 6 i9 4 SHEET 1 n; 2

PATENTED JUL 1 6 I974 SHEET 2 [IF 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ski bindings of the toe binding type and more particularly such bindings which include a'preferably bail-shaped clamping member which at the rear is pivoted in the toeiron lugs, and which can be pressed resiliently against the upper face of the sole rim for keeping the boot in position and in the position of use is connected to fixed means on the ski in front of the tip of the boot by a pivoted and releasable connecting link.

In such bindings of usual design which today is the dominating type of binding for racing and also for cross-country skiing, the releasable connecting link is formed as a keeping hook having adjustment notches for engaging the clamping bail and pivotally mounted in bearing means located in a fixed position on the ski either by being attached with one or two separate screws or by being formed as an extension of the toe With these designs it is necessary both for attaching and for detaching the ski to bend forwards for moving the hook into and out of engagement, respectively, and for the attachment it is necessary to use both hands, one for pressing the bail down and one for swinging the hook back. Further, in both positions a considerable pressure from above on the bail is required, especially in the case of modern designs, where the keeping member is supported at a relatively short distance in front of the toe of the boot in order not to weaken the ski by screw attachments undesirably far ahead. In view of the fact that most cross-country skiers today prefer light equipment and therefore are using racing skis with toe bindings, there are therefore many users, especially among women and children, who regard it as a drawback to have to afford the necessary force for attaching and detaching the skis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to remedy these deficiencies in bindings of the type specified, that is to make attachment and detachment more easy and FIG. 1 is a top view of the binding in one embodiment in mounted position on a-ski;

FIG. 2 shows the same binding in vertical longitudinal section;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are top and lateral views, respectively, of the toe iron of the same binding and the appurtenant fixed means to be engaged by the connecting link;

FIG. Sis a bottom view of the front portion of the bail with the connecting link mounted thereon;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of the toe iron of the binding in another embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a top view of the front part of the'toe iron in FIG. 6.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the binding includes in the usual manner a clamping bail 1 pivotally mounted in the toe iron lugs 2, which at the front have extensions in the form of flanges 3 extending along the front edge of the base plate 4 and further-forwards on either side of a central extension 5 of the latter. The toe iron is attached to the ski 6 with two screws 7 at the rear in the base plate 4 and one screw 8 which passes through a hole in the extension 5 and at the same time serves to attach a keeper member 9 shaped for fitting in between the flanges 3 at the front and having rearwardly facing shoulders 10 which engage the front edges of these flanges. Further, the extension 5 of the toe iron is further extended in front of these edges in the form of a tongue 11 which engages a corresponding groove 12 in the member 9 and protects the same from being bent upwards after being attached. In its forward edge the keeper member9 is formed with notches 13 for adjustable engagement with the connecting link 14, which is shown in the FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

This connectinglink 14 is made of a piece of sheet metal which in one end portion is curved downwards and further rearwards so as to form a hook for selectively engaging a notch in the member 9, and is pivotally mounted on the upper side of the straight bight portion 15 of the bail 1 by means of a sheet metal fitting 16 attached by a rivet 18 to the bottom side of the end portion 17 of the link 14 far from the hook. Thus, the link 14 is mounted for pivotal motion around the bight portion in the longitudinal vertical plane of the binding. The fitting 16 consists of resilient metal and is at the rear formed with two branches 19 extending to either side and engaging the upper face of the legs of the bail 1 so as to subject the link 14 to a spring bias towards its engaging position. In released condition of the link 14 rotation of the link in this direction is limited by abutments formed by lugs 20 which are bent inwards under either leg of the bail from the rear portion 17 of the link 14. In released condition the link 14 will thereby be arrested in such a position that when the bail 1 is pressed down, it will engage a bevelled face 21 at the top of the keeper member 9 at the front of the same, so that the hook will be forced outwards by a sloping plane action against the spring action of the branches 19. Thus, it will be understood that in this case the member 14 with the fitting 16 will act as a two armed lever, the sloping plane action on the hook and the resilient branches 19 acting in opposite directions, whereas on the other hand it is possible by exerting a pressure on the portion 17 to disengage the hook against the action of the resilient branches 19.

With other words, it will be possible to engage and disengage the hook by exerting pressure on the link ahead of and behind the pivotal axis, that isthe bight portion 15 of the bail, respectively. Such pressure can g be exerted by a flat hand or a foot, or by the other ski,

and hence in a manner that will not be strenuous. As far as the disengagement is concerned, it will be understood that when the pressure on the arm 17 is gradually removed, the resilient return movement of the bail 1 will move the hook away from the row of teeth on the member 9, so that it will not unintentionally return to engaged position. This possibility of easy release will mean a relief, not only to people with weak fingers, but quite generally and not at least to competition racers who may often be so tired after a race or a long trip that it is tiresome tobend down to release the binding.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the member 9 is removed and the base plate 4' has a usual screw hole 8 placed centrally approximately at the front edge of thesole of the boot. For engaging the connecting link, which may be shaped and arranged like in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the flanges 3 on either side of the extension of the toe iron are each formed with a vertical row of adjustment notches 13, so as together to form a keeper means 9 with a function corresponding to that of the member 9 in FIGS. 1 to 4.

It goes without saying that many further modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, the invention is, of course, applicable with a keeper member attached to the ski independentlyof the toe iron, and in embodiments with clamping bail the connecting link 14 does not necessarily have to be mounted on the bight portion of the bail, but may also be supported on some other portion, for example on a cross-bar similar to that shown in applicants patent application Ser. No. 109,222 now US. Pat. No. 3,715,127.

What I claim is:

1. In a ski binding of the toe binding type for properly positioning a boot comprising: clamping means having a configuration to engage the sole rim of said boot about the toe portion thereof; a toe iron; said clamping means with a rear segment pivotally mounted on said toe iron for pivotal movement; fixed means connected 'to said ski forwardly of the toe portion; releasable means pivoted on said clamping means for releasably engaging said fixed means; wherein said releasable means is formed as a lever having at one end a generally downwardly projecting arm forming a hook to engage said fixed means and at the opposite end an arm that is generally horizontal so as to be accessible from above and is pressed downwardly for releasing said hook from engagement with said fixed means.

2. The ski binding as defined in claim 1 further comprising: spring-loaded means biasing said releasable 4 means for engagement with said fixed means.

3. The ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said releasable means has abutments that arrest said releasable means in a position whereby, when said releasable the toe portion and is capable of engaging said fixed means.

5. The ski binding as defined in claim 3 wherein said releasable means is mounted on a transverse portion of said clamping means and said hook has a portion that faces backwards towards the toe portion and is capable of engaging said fixed means.

'6. The ski binding as defined in claimS wherein said releasable means is made of sheet metal and said arm thereof covers a front portion of said clamping means.

7. The ski binding as defined in claim 6 wherein said abutments are lugs located under said clamping means.

fixed means has forwardly facing teeth to engage said V releasable means.

10. The ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means has a bail-shaped configuration. 

1. In a ski binding of the toe binding type for properly positioning a boot comprising: clamping means having a configuration to engage the sole rim of said boot about the toe portion thereof; a toe iron; said clamping means with a rear segment pivotally mounted on said toe iron for pivotal movement; fixed means connected to said ski forwardly of the toe portion; releasable means pivoted on said clamping means for releasably engaging said fixed means; wherein said releasable means is formed as a lever having at one end a generally downwardly projecting arm forming a hook to engage said fixed means and at the opposite end an arm that is generally horizontal so as to be accessible from above and is pressed downwardly for releasing said hook from engagement with said fixed means.
 2. The ski binding as defined in claim 1 further comprising: spring-loaded means biasing said releasable means for engagement with said fixed means.
 3. The ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said releasable means has abutments that arrest said releasable means in a position whereby, when said releasable means is disengaged from said fixed means and downward pressure is exerted on said clamping means, said hook will contact said fixed means and be forced outwards to accomodate engagement with said fixed means.
 4. The ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said releasable means is mounted on said clamping means for pivotal motion relative to said clamping means in the plane of pivotal motion of said clamping means and said hook has a portion that faces backwards towards the toe portion and is capable of engaging said fixed means.
 5. The ski binding as defined in claim 3 wherein said releasable means is mounted on a transverse portion of said clamping means and said hook has a portion that faces backwards towards the toe portion and is capable of engaging said fixed means.
 6. The ski binding as defined in claim 5 wherein said releasable means is made of sheet metal and said arm thereof covers a front portion of said clamping means.
 7. The ski binding as defined in claim 6 wherein said abutments are lugs located under said clamping means.
 8. The ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring-loaded means comprises a resilient sheet metal member that pivotally mounts said releasable means to said clamping means and is attached to the bottom surface of said arm to resiliently engage the upper surface of said clamping means.
 9. The ski binding as defined in claim 4 wherein said fixed means has forwardly facing teeth to engage said releasable means.
 10. The ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means has a bail-shaped configuration. 